To all whom it may concern



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CATHRINE ALLSQP GRISWQLD, OF WILLIMANTIC, CONNECTICUT. .Letters Patmt No. 61,825, dated February 5, 1867A.

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TO ALL WHQM Il MAY CONCERN: v

Be it known that I, CATHRINE ALLsor GnisWoLn, of Willimantic, in the-county of Windham, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Keeping the Body Erect and Expanding the Lungs g and I. do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the'accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parts'where-ver they` occur.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my inventionfI will proceed to describe it.

My invention consists in a novelmcthod of constructing an apparatus to be worn on the body, for the purpose of expanding the chest and keeping the person erect.

Figure l is a rear view; and l Figure 2, a front view of the device applied to the body as .it is intended to b'e worn.

I construct two thin exible metal strips, as represented by A, of iig. 1, to be applied vertically to the back as represented. The uppers portion of these strips A extend upward and outward, and, passing over' the shoulder, continue around in front of the arm as shown b'y B, in'fg. 1, andpas'sing thence under the arm, are united to the s tripsA at the point Z1 of said figure. It will be seen that each of the frames or strips A, With the part B In front of the arm,'are thus formed into one continuous piece, constituting a brace'or support for the back, and a band for encircling the shoulder or arm above the shoulder-joint. It will of 'course be understood that the portion which thus encirclcs the shoulder will be so formed as to adapt itself to and lie ilat and smooth upon the body. These metallic frames are then covered with cloth or `other suitable material, and along the vertical portion onthe back are pierced `with a series of holes or eyelets to receive a cord for lacing or adjusting them'to suitthe wearer, as represented in iig. l. A strap or belt C is attached on each side, as shown in 1, in proper position and of suitable length to reach around the Waist, and 'unite in front by a buckle, as shown in iig. 2V. Another stop D is attached to the front of the arm-loops B, 'and arranged to be united by a buckle, as shown in iig. 2. The metallic strips or frame A must be made of steelor other exible material, so that they vwill bend to permit of the necessary movements-of the body, and yet resume their original form when relieved of strain.V The band B, which encircle's the arm, should be of Vsuch a length as to form an opening or arm-hole of suticient. size to permit it to come well up on the shoulder: and aground in front, above the shoulderjoint, soas not in any Way to interfere AWith or restrict the` movements of the arm. 'lhe strap D should also be applied high up on the chest, soas not -to press upon the lungs or in any way interfere with their free-and full expansion. It will thus be seen that by this method of constructing the apparatus, I avoid the objectionable features so common in'shoulderbraces as usually constructed, inasmuch as there is -no tendency in this to restrict the movements of the arms or the muscles att-ached thereto, and the disagreeable cutting under the army-caused by the straps of the ordinary shoulder-brace is entirely obviated.- The strips A being` curved inward on the back to suit the natural contourof the-body, also tend to draw the .shoulders and upper portion' of the chestback, therebycausing the person to keep the chestJerect, and thusprevent theirbecoming round-shouldered or assuming a bent or stooping posture; and thereby, also, tending to expand the lungs and secure a more copious and perfect inhalation of air. By these meansthe vital force is increased, the health preserved, and disease prevented, especially of the lungs.v I Y Having th'us described my invention, what I claim, is 1 Y The body supporter, consisting of the stripsA, extending around the shoulders, and provided with the straps C and D, and the cord a, all arranged for joint-action substantially as herein shown and described.

oAfrHRINE ALLsoP eRIsWoLD.

Witnesses:

EDM. F. BROWN, P. T. Denen. 

